Shaolin Pao Quan - what a mess

[Sal Canzonieri]

Well, Shaolin Pao Quan is another group of sets that are really mixed up as far as routines go.

Originally, Shaolin Quan was called Shaolin Chui, as in Hammer strikes.
There are reports that the early Shaolin material that was presented in an exhibition for the newly installed Tang Emperor consisted of some Rou Quan and Pao Chui (Soft Boxing and Cannon Hammer strikes). The Rou Quan material came from the nei gong routines of the elder Shaolin monks; the Pao Chui material came from the military advisers that were influencing Shaolin martial arts at the time.

More than likely this Pao Chui material came from the Da Hong Quan (Big Swan or Vast Fist) that was popular along the Yellow River Basin and practiced by the Sui and Tang military.

During the later 1400s of the Ming Dynasty, thanks to Li Sou, Bai Yufeng, and Jue Yuan, Shaolin martial arts incorporated the Da Hong Quan style that these people have imported from far western China (Shaanxi and Gansu Shanxi).
Originally part of this Hong Quan system included a series of sets called Pao Chui.

During the Qing Dynasty, the Pao Chui material became practiced separately from the Hong Quan material and they started mixing in other stuff into the movements of these sets. Eventually they became their own sub-style known as Shaolin Pao Quan.
(this material had a large influence on Chen family Taiji Quan's Pao Chui sets, as well as the Pao Chui sets from the neighboring Chang Family Nei Jia Quan style).
(also, the style of Tong Bei Quan was developed from out of this Hong Quan and Pao Quan material, along with Taizu Chang Quan.)

Anyways, no two people seem to be doing their Shaolin Pao Quan sets that same way. No two schools or lineages neither. There seems to be great divergence. Researchers say this could be because the material separated a long time ago and different branches of practitioners did not communicate with each other or simply that hardly anyone had learned or remembered the full sets and they started changing them or adding in other material to supplement what was lost.

One thing that should be seen in Pao Quan / Pao Chui sets is, because of the Li Sou/ Bai Yufeng / Jue Yuan connection, some postures and movements overlapping with Shaolin Luohan Quan and also Shaolin Xiao and Da Hong Quan.

So, here again, I am going to present whatever videos are easily available on the internet of these sets and some commentary.
Anyone who has more information about the sets, their history, and so on, please let us know, thanks.
Same as how we all did the Luohan Quan, Rou Quan, and other thread, thanks!

The Shaolin Encyclopedia shows these Pao Quan sets:
1- Shaolin Pao Quan (55 postures)
2- Shaolin Xiao Pao Quan Yi Lu (24 postures)
3 - Shaolin Xiao Pao Quan Er Lu (29 postures)
4 - Shaolin Da Pao Chui (38 postures) - supposed was influenced by Emei Pao Chui style (does look very similar to Emei San Huang Pao Chui - Three Emperor Cannnon Hammers)

The 5 volume / revised 2 volume Dengfeng Tagou school books show two Pao Quan sets.
1 - Shaolin Xiao Pao quan (112 postures), which is the same as #1 above Shaolin Pao Quan, except it has a much longer ending section.
2 - Shaolin Da Pao Quan (31 postures)

In the VCDs released by Liu Zhenhai, he shows three Pao Quan sets that look nothing like the Xiao Pao Quan and Da Pao Quan shown in the Tagou school's books, which are the Eagle Claw Pao Quan, the Zhuo Shou Pao Quan, and a different Xiao Pao Quan.
He also has three VCDs of a Pao Quan Yi lu, Er Lu, and San Lu.

Shi deyang also does a very short Xiao Pao Chui set that looks pretty much like Da Pao Quan under closer examination. It is not the same as the Xiao Pao Quan Yi Lu or Er Lus ets shown in the Shaolin Encyclopedia.

videos:

Shaolin Pao Quan from Shaolin Encyclopedia, also known as Xiao Pao Quan in Tagou books:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEOuTptAkJg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivbC4eKqz7o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Lev-mkcR4s (as done by Liu Jun Hai himself)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5JATHlmpEc (here it is called Lao Pao Chui - Old Cannon Hammers)

interesting version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPA7I-xlexk

Pao Quan Yi Lu set from Liu Zhenhai, IDENTICAL to Da Pao Quan set in the Tagou books:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VWQ6SfiwFw

Pao Quan Er Lu set from Liu Zhenhai (pretty much same as Tagou's Xiao Pao Quan first section, from above):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgP2UqmLwpA

Pao Quan San Lu set from Liu Zhenhai (roughly same as second section of Tagou's Xiao Pao Quan):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN5xs4UT79c

Shaolin Ti Shou Pao Quan (提手炮拳 - Lifting hand cannon fist) set from Liu Zhenhai:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvstk4Z9YaM

Shaolin Eagle Claw Pao Quan set from Liu Zhenhai:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eEUjrwC7Ac

Shaolin Xiao Pao Quan set from Liu Zhenhai:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBe2lUtIOgQ

Shi Deyang's Xiao Pao Chui (which is basically Tagou's short Da Pao Quan set):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmn5x3fYVuo

Shaolin Pao Quan set (same as in Abbot Shi Yongxin's book), here called Da Pao Quan, first half of set, the rest is cut off:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNK0ARYRwT8

Pao Quan set that is very similar to what is called Xiao Pao Quan in the Shaolin Encyclopedia (but not the same as the Xiao Pao Quan of the Tagou books):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFInayzqygI

Other:

Pao Quan set from the style of Zhong Hua Si Mian Ba Fang Tong Bei Quan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWqhMUh47vE

Shaanxi Hong (red) Quan - Pao Chui [陕西红拳 - 炮锤]:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC1xArKobE0

Northern long fist pao quan from Shandong area jia men chang quan (islamic long fist):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9P60vuB86o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMZN7q (San Lu Pao Quan)

I will add more as I find them. Feel free to direct me to more for this list. thanks